Free Article Review On Latin Music:

The origin, styles, influence, famous musicians

Music World History knows plenty of different common and absolutely unique music styles all over the world. Nowadays, it has one unifying name – The World Music Industry. Still, this term consists of lots of music styles and genres, starting from Latin Music to all kinds of Rock music. In this case, the main music style, which will be described, is the Latin music. It is one of the most popular, the most significant and the most specific music style, which considers being like this till nowadays.
First of all, it is important to start with a definition of Latin music – what is it and what its origins. So, Latin music – it is a genre of a popular music which includes a full scope of rhythms and styles from Latin America and the countries of Latin world, in general, including musical confluences by Latinos in the US together with genres and artists from such European countries as Portugal and Spain (Carlos Quintana. What Is Latin Music? “About Entertainment”. (n.d.)). It is a genre, which has appeared in the, particularly, Latin world and has won the commitment of all almost all countries in the world.
The next important step in the description of the Latin music, is what genres it mainly known for. So, according to the above said such music is mostly defined by four main styles:
Bachata, Salsa, Regional Mexican music and Latin Pop Music (Carlos Quintana. What Is Latin Music? “About Entertainment”. (n.d.)). That is why, generally speaking, Latin music includes of more than a hundred different styles and genres. It may be: Tango, Salsa, Brazilian and Merengue music. Also, Latin Music consists of such traditional rhythms as Andean music, Puerto Rican Bomba, Cuban Son and Musica Llanera (Carlos Quintana. What Is Latin Music? “About Entertainment”. (n.d.)). All of them are representing Latin music as one of the richest music styles and genres all over the world and of course, being such popular among listeners on the international level, this music, of course, does have its influences on the other music genres and style.
The most influenced by the Latin Music was, of course, music of the North America, especially, the U.S., where nowadays, Latin music is one of the most popular one. The Latin Music has brought new flavors into the popular and stable U.S. music. It has appeared to be like that, because of some interesting facts from the history.
A short history background is worth of being described, in terms of the above mentioned Latin Music influence question. In the far 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo annexed Texas and other modern states to the U.S (The Story: How Latinos influenced popular music in the U.S. “American Sabor” (n.d.)). The very next morning, Mexicans, who lived in those annexed territories, have become Mexican Americans. After 50 years, in the 1898, after the Spanish-American War, Puerto Ricans also appeared to be under U.S. control and have got their right to be U.S. citizens in 1917. Later on, they started to integrate their own culture into the U.S. society, and so, as a huge part of every culture – music, has been intertwined with the U.S. music. Consequently, the Latin Music turned out to be another aspect, which helped to define
American Latinos as “we” together with Americans (The Story: How Latinos influenced popular music in the U.S. “American Sabor” (n.d.)).
But, what has led this particular music style to such great popularity on the World Music Stage, and specifically, American, nowadays? According to Ilan Stavans, the rise of Latin Music was caused by the growth of the Latino minority in the USA, which has reached more than 53 million people in the 2012 (Ilan Stavans 18). This fact proves that the more are keeping and are trying to bring their culture into the outer world, into other communities – the more popular this particular culture becomes.
Consequently, many different Latin Music musicians appeared on the American and later – world music stage. Some of those musicians are: Ritchie Valens, Richie Ray, Ray Barretto, Joe Cuba, Albita Rodriguez, Arsenio Rodríguez, Carlos Santana and many others (Latino Musicians in the U.S. “American Sabor” (n.d.)). Many of them are remembered by many of their fans till nowadays, their music and their songs are still alive in people’s hearts.
So, who are some of those musicians, and what particular music style they are representing, in terms of the Latin Music? First, it is interesting to mention, that in some time, the Latin Music has been tightly intertwined with such music styles as blues and rock and roll. Indeed, Caribbean sounds also became that unique element of the language of rock and roll when above mentioned Carlos Santana used soulful electric guitar rhythm play to bring those Caribbean sounds together with the blues, and, so, through this new musical way, popularized Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" for a national audience (Latino Musicians in the U.S. “American Sabor” (n.d.)). Many other musicians were popularizing Latin Music and this process is continuing till nowadays. Lots of modern well-known artists are giving not only the Latin or
American listener an opportunity to get involved in this beautiful Latin World, but also they give this opportunity to the International listener as well.
The entire above said makes Latin Music even more specific and significant. The way it is influencing the World Music Stage is leaving no place for doubts that even in the nearest future Latin Music will still remain as one of the most popular music with a huge variety of its genres. Starting from the far 18th and 19th centuries, the popularity of this music only rises, with the help not just because of Latin Musicians, but also of their fans all around the world.

References

Carlos Quintana. What Is Latin Music? “About Entertainment”. (n.d.) [Web post] http://latinmusic.about.com/od/basics101/a/What-Is-Latin-Music.htm Accessed on: 7 April 2015.
The Story: How Latinos influenced popular music in the U.S. “American Sabor” (n.d.) [Web post] https://americansabor.org/story Accessed on: 7 April 2015.
Latino Musicians in the U.S. “American Sabor” (n.d.) [Web post] https://americansabor.org/musicians Accessed on: 7 April 2015.
"Preface." Latin Music: Musicians, Genres, and Themes [2 Volumes]. Ed. Ilan Stavans. Santa Barbara, 2014. 923. Print.